The present disclosure relates to an automotive vehicle folding passenger seat assembly. More particularly, one embodiment is directed to a striker seatbelt webbing guide assembly, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other similar applications.
It is known to provide a vehicle seat, for example, an automotive seat with a foldable back. For example, it is well known in the art to provide folding seat backs to allow access to a cargo storage area through the opening in the partition between the passenger area and the cargo storage area of a vehicle. It is also known to provide a folding seat back to increase the storage area of a vehicle by folding over second and/or third row seats in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), van, or the like.
In a typical configuration, the seat back includes a pivot located between the seat back and seat base. The seat back may also include a latch that engages a striker member attached to the vehicle body to secure the seat back in an upright, or designed seating position. Such seat configurations require that the latch be released to allow the seatback to pivot to the stowed position.
FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view illustrating a rear seat of a vehicle. A vehicle 1 includes a baggage compartment 4 in back of a seat 3 that is disposed in a vehicle cabin 2. The vehicle rear body comprises a vehicle floor portion 5 to form a floor face of the vehicle and a vehicle sidewall portion 6 to form a side face of the vehicle body. A wheel house 7 is provided at a vehicle sidewall portion 6 so as to project toward the inside of the vehicle 1. The seat 3 is disposed on the vehicle floor portion 5 and includes a seat back 11 and a seat cushion 13. The seat back 11 is supported by a hinge member 8 so as to rotate in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is biased forward by a coil spring disposed at the hinge member 8.
The seat back 11 is disposed with an inclined angle of 10-20 degrees relative to a vertical direction. In this upright position, the seat back 11 is supported by the hinge member 8 and an outside end portion of the seat back 11 is supported at the vehicle sidewall portion 6 by a striker 15 received in latch 19 provided at the outside end portion of seat back 11. The striker 15 is formed in a substantially U shape, and its both ends are connected to a striker attaching portion 16 that is formed in a substantially flat-plate shape.
In a narrow vehicle where a wide cargo space is desired, the seat back latching mechanism may be condensed. Moreover, in those vehicles, space limitations may dictate that the latch-striker assembly used to lock a seat back into an upright position include elements disposed within the vehicle body, generally disposed behind an interior vehicle lining. In such an environment, the seat belt is often also positioned in this region. If the seat belt extends near the latch opening it can potentially be damaged therein when the seat is returned from fold-down mode to in-use mode. Particularly, the striker can drag the belt into the latch opening where the latch mechanism can damage the seat belt webbing.